1. Field of the Invention
An elongated integral truss brace to operatively engage opposite end portions of each of a plurality of lower truss tie bars to reinforce the roof truss system formed by a plurality of roof trusses.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the construction industry, there has been an entire business centered around the production of prefabricated roof trusses. Typically such prefabricated trusses comprise an elongated tie bar or stringer having a strut or king post extending upwardly from the midportion thereof and a rafter extending diagonally downward from the upper end portion of the strut or king post to each outer end portion of the elongated tie bar or stringer. New building codes require that such prefabricated trusses be reinforced (braced) once installed.
Heretofore, the reinforcement of such trusses required the workman to cut 2.times.4s, 2.times.6s or 2.times.8s the length of the distance between trusses on site. Not only is this practice time consuming, but considerable waste material accumulates from the ends of the 2.times.4s, 2.times.6s or 2.times.8s too short to be used.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,903 describes structures assembled with two methods, conventional and prefabricated. Conventional building structures have the advantage of flexibility and design, but have high labor costs. Prefabrication has the advantage of lower field cost and shorter construction time, but at the expense of flexibility in materials and design. In actual practice, conventional and prefab construction at low market prices means sacrificing quality of materials, areas of space and insulation values of soundness of frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,173 shows a roof truss comprising a strut or king post, the bottom of which rests upon the tie beam or stringer and the top of which is secured to the rafters. The end of the king post lies below the top of the rafters and the rafters are nailed to the side of the king post at the ridge of the truss and to the side of the tie beams or stringers at the eaves of the truss so as to form a groove between them. The tie beam is notched so as to cooperate with the notch in the wall plate member. The wide part of the notch receives the pairs of rafters. Instead of employing two rafters on each side of the truss, a single wide rafter with a suitable groove therein might be provided to perform the same function. The groove which is formed between the rafters is of a width suitable to receive the rails of adjacent roof sections.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,277,766 describes a portable building construction comprising a roof truss constructed of rafters of substantially uniform depth and wall plates upon which the rafters rest. The lower ends of the rafters project beyond the wall plates to form an eave. A tie beam connects the rafters. The ends provide shoulders to abut the inner sides of the wall plates that include inclined bottomed notches to receive the rafters in uncut condition.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,421,270 shows a prefabricated roof including a series of spaced beams and a ridge pole extending therebetween. The beams include upper surfaces inclined upwardly to a peak location at which the beams are recessed beneath the planes of the inclined surfaces to receive the ridge pole essentially beneath those planes. The ridge pole may have spaced markings at which it is to be connected to the beams to facilitate accurate spacing of the beams during assembly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,903 teaches a modular framing for buildings comprising precision factory precut and notched components for quick interfitting and erection on a building site. The components include a base plate of a predetermined length having equidistantly spaced notched seats on its upper face, a top plate of a predetermined length having equidistantly spaced notches in its upper and lower faces with the notches in direct vertical alignment with the notches in the base plate, a plurality of studs having their upper ends slotted and interfitted in the notches in he lower face of the top plate and their lower ends fitted in the notches in the base plate, roof rafters supported by the top plate having their lower ends notched and interfitted in the notches in the upper face of the top plate, a ridge beam including a central beam member and outer side board members secured to the central beam member and projecting above the upper edge thereof, the upper edges of the side board members being notched substantially down to the central beam member, the inner ends of the rafters being fitted in the notches in the side board members.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,261,173 describes a sliding panel comprising a top, a bottom and an intermediate rail. The ends of each of the rails are notched; while, a sill member includes a groove to receive the bottom rail. A plurality of studs are notched to receive the notched ends of the rails of the siding panel with the studs overlapping the edges of adjacent panels and bolts passing through the studs and holding the adjacent panels thereto.
U.S. Pat. No. 324,456 shows a portable building including rafters provided with notches, a notched strip and vertically arranged projections on the plate, all being constructed and arranged substantially as set forth. Norwegian patent 77,860 teaches the use of notches in truss braces.